Method for memory data storage by partition into narrower threshold voltage distribution regions

ABSTRACT

A method for data storage of a memory unit and a memory unit using the same are provided in the present invention. The method for data storage of a memory unit includes: first, dividing a memory unit into a plurality of small memory groups; next, defining a threshold voltage distribution region for each small memory group; then, defining a plurality of program verify threshold voltages and a plurality of reference detecting values for each small memory group according to the threshold voltage distribution region of each small memory group; and after that, using these small memory groups to store data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a method for data storage and a unitusing the same, and more particularly to a method for data storage of amemory unit and a memory unit using the same.

2. Description of Related Art

Along with the rapid development of science and technology at present,for storing a large amount of data, memory is being developed to havelarger capacity, higher speed, longer service life, and being morepower-saving. Generally, memory with a capacity of hundreds of M(megabytes) already cannot meet the demands, and memory with a capacityof several G (gigabytes) or hundreds of G (gigabytes) has appeared.However, the property of high capacity of the memory may easily causethe voltage distribution range of data storage in the memory to becomeexcessively large. Thus, there are two defects of the conventional art.First, to increase the sensing window between each state (for example,the first state is set to logic level “1” and the second state is set tologic level “0”) to enhance the sensing effect, the program thresholdvoltage difference between each state must be increased, which resultsin more power consumption and shorter service life. Second, to reducethe program threshold voltage difference between each state to prolongthe service life and reduce the power consumption of the memory, thesensing window between each state is thus reduced, which results indifficulty to perform the sensing process for distinguishing each state.The following part will give an illustration with reference to FIGS. 1and 2.

FIG. 1 is a threshold voltage distribution diagram of the data storageoperation of a conventional memory unit. The horizontal axis representsthe threshold voltage, and the longitudinal axis represents the numberof bits. A threshold voltage distribution curve 101 and a thresholdvoltage distribution curve 102 represent distribution curves for amemory of 1M to store data in the first state and the second state. Athreshold voltage distribution curve 103 and a threshold voltage curve104 represent distribution curves for a memory of 1G to store data inthe first state and the second state. SW11 indicates the sensing windowbetween the two states of a two-bits memory, SW12 and SW13 indicate thesensing window between two states of the memories of 1M memory and 1Gmemory. DVt11 indicates the delta threshold voltage after programbetween the two states of a two-bits memory, DVt12 and DVt13 indicatethe delta threshold voltage after program between two states of thememories of 1M memory and 1 G memory. Seen from FIG. 1, the distributionvalue D2 of the curve 103 is larger than the distribution value D1 ofthe curve 101. The two-bits memory has only one threshold voltage point,and thus the distribution value thereof is nearly zero. As shown in FIG.1, it is presumed that every bit has the same program delta thresholdvoltage (DVt). Generally, the sensing window is defined as the thresholdvoltage difference between a high boundary of the low threshold voltagedistribution and a low boundary of the high threshold voltagedistribution, and the program delta threshold voltages for the two-bitsmemory such as, 1M memory or 1 G memory are DVt11, DVt12 and DVt13 andare presumed to be the same, the sensing window voltage are different.SW11=DVt11, SW12=(DVt12−D1), and SW13=(DVt13−D2) respectively. To keepthe program threshold voltage difference of each memory as the same, thesensing window SW13 of the high-capacity memory becomes smaller, thusmaking it difficult to distinguish the two states of the high-capacitymemory.

FIG. 2 is a threshold voltage distribution diagram of the data storageoperation of another conventional memory unit. The horizontal axisrepresents the threshold voltage, and the longitudinal axis representsthe number of bits. A threshold voltage distribution curve 201 and athreshold voltage distribution curve 202 represent distribution curvesfor a 1M memory to store data in the first state and the second state, athreshold voltage distribution curve 203 and a threshold voltagedistribution curve 205 represent distribution curves for a 1 G memory tostore the data in the first state and the second state, and thresholdvoltage distribution curves 204, 206 represent distribution curves of apart of the bits in the memory of 1 G in the two states. The sensingwindows of the two-bits memory, memory of 1M, memory of 1 G are SW11,SW12 and SW13 respectively. The program threshold voltage differencesbetween the two states of the two-bits memory, memory of 1M, memory of 1G are DVt21, DVt22 and DVt23 respectively. The relationships between thesensing window threshold voltage differences and the program thresholdvoltage differences are SW21=DVt21, SW22=(DVt22−D1), andSW23=(DVt23−D2). To keep the sensing window of each memory as the same,the program threshold voltage difference DVt23 between two states of thehigh-capacity memory is increased, thereby shortening the service timeand increasing the power consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a method for datastorage of a memory unit, which can improve the cycling margin of thememory, prolong the service life thereof, and is suitable to be appliedto the operating window of a multi--level-cell (MLC).

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a memory unit,which can prolong the service life of the memory, improve the cyclingmargin thereof, and is suitable to be applied to the operating window ofan MLC.

The present invention provides a method for data storage of a memoryunit, which comprises: first, dividing a memory unit into a plurality ofsmall memory groups; next, defining a plurality of threshold voltagedistribution regions for the plurality of small memory groups; then,defining a plurality of program verify threshold voltages and aplurality of reference detecting values according to the thresholdvoltage distribution regions of each small memory group; and after that,using the small memory groups to store data.

The present invention further provides a memory unit using the abovestorage method for a memory unit. The memory unit is divided into aplurality of small memory unit groups. Then, a plurality of programverify voltages and a plurality of reference detecting values of eachmemory group are determined according to the threshold voltage regionsof small memory groups, so as to store data.

In the present invention, as the memory unit is divided into a pluralityof small memory groups, and then the program verify threshold voltageand the reference detecting value of each small memory group aredetermined according to the threshold voltage distribution regions ofeach small memory group, the better cycling margin of the memory isimproved, the service life of the memory is prolonged, and the presentinvention is suitable to be applied to the operating window of an MLC.

In order to make the aforementioned and other objects, features andadvantages of the present invention comprehensible, preferredembodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a threshold voltage distribution diagram of the data storageoperation of a conventional memory unit.

FIG. 2 is a threshold voltage distribution diagram of the data storageoperation of another conventional memory unit.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of the flash memory unit 300 accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a threshold voltage distribution diagram of a method for datastorage of a flash memory unit according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is another threshold voltage distribution diagram of a method fordata storage of a flash memory unit according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is still another threshold voltage distribution diagram of amethod for data storage of a flash memory unit according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a threshold voltage distribution diagram of a method for datastorage of a flash memory unit according to another embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is a threshold voltage distribution diagram of a method for datastorage of a flash memory unit according to still another embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of a method for data storage of a flash memoryunit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described belowwith reference to the accompanied figures, wherein a flash memory istaken as an example in the embodiments to illustrate the operatingprinciple of the present invention. However, the embodiments of thepresent invention are not limited to the flash memory, i.e., any memoryunit in this field is suitable to be used in the present invention, suchas an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), electricallyerasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), dynamic random accessmemory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM).

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of a flash memory unit 300 accordingto an embodiment of the present invention. The flash memory unit 300with a capacity of, for example, 1 G (gigabytes) memory is divided intosmall memory groups which the capacity is 1M, 301˜304 is the fourexample small groups. FIG. 4 is a threshold voltage distribution diagramof a method for data storage of a flash memory unit according to anembodiment of the present invention. The horizontal axis represents thethreshold voltage, and the longitudinal axis represents number of bits.Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 at the same time, the small memory groups301˜304 are corresponding to threshold voltage distribution curves401˜404, and an originally undivided threshold voltage distributioncurve 40 of the flash memory unit 300 is used for comparison. Seen fromFIG. 4, the distribution value D3 of the threshold voltage distributionregion of the threshold voltage distribution curve 40 is larger than thedistribution value D4 of the individual threshold voltage distributionregion of the threshold voltage distribution curves 401˜404. The sensingwindow of the flash memory can be increased and the program thresholdvoltage difference can be reduced by changing the difference of thedistribution value (D3-D4). The high boundaries of the distributioncurves 401˜404 are defined with reference to Point I_base, so as todetect that the high boundary of the curve 401 lies in smaller than thethreshold voltage B1, the high boundary of the distribution curve 402lies in between the threshold voltages B1˜B2, the high boundary of thedistribution curve 403 lies in between the threshold voltages B2˜B3, andthe high boundary of the distribution curve 404 lies in between thethreshold voltages B3˜B4. The originally undivided high boundary of theflash memory unit 300 is between the threshold voltages B4˜B5 forcomparison.

The memory unit is not limited to be divided into four small memorygroups in the embodiment of the present invention, and can be dividedinto any number of small memory groups for practical needs. For example,a memory unit of 1 G is divided into one million small memory groups,wherein each of the memory group has a capacity of 1K bits, or a memoryunit of 1 G is divided into 16 thousand word lines, wherein each wordline has a capacity of 64 thousand bits. A plurality of small memorygroups is obtained by dividing the memory unit in the present inventionand save the voltage threshold distribution information of each smallgroups by an extra memory or a buffer memory, such that the distributionvalue of the threshold voltage distribution region is reduced to enhancethe storage effect. The voltage threshold distribution informationrecords the threshold regions. However, in the present invention, thememory unit is not limited to be divided into small memory groups withan equal capacity, but can be divided into small memory groups withdifferent capacities. Meanwhile, when storing data, the presentinvention does not need to consider the high boundary of the memory unitbefore division, but only has to consider the high boundary of eachmemory group after division, such that the planing of the programthreshold voltage difference between states is flexible. Those skilledin the art should understand that the present invention is not limitedto define the high boundaries, but can also define other characteristicsof the curve, such as low boundaries or medium values.

FIG. 5 is another threshold voltage distribution diagram of a method fordata storage of a flash memory unit according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. The horizontal axis represents the threshold voltage,and the longitudinal axis represents the number of bits. Referring toFIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the small memory groups 301˜304 of FIG. 3 arecorresponding to threshold voltage distribution curves 411˜414 inanother state. For example, the distribution curves 401˜404 arecorresponding to the first state of logic level “1” for data storage,and the distribution curves 411˜414 are corresponding to the secondstate of logic level “0” for data storage so that the flash memory is atwo levels memory. The threshold voltage distribution regions of thedistribution curves 401˜404 can be used to define the program verifyvoltage of the distribution curves 411˜414. The high boundary of thedistribution curve 401 is defined to be smaller than B1, while theprogram verify voltage of the corresponding distribution curve 411 isdefined as PV1. The high boundary of the distribution curve 402 isdefined to be between the threshold voltages B1 and B2, while theprogram verify voltage of the corresponding distribution curve 412 isdefined as PV2. The program verify voltages PV3, PV4 are definedlikewise.

FIG. 6 is another threshold voltage distribution diagram of a method fordata storage of a flash memory unit according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. The horizontal axis represents the threshold voltage,and the longitudinal axis represents the number of bits. To clearly showthe difference between each curve, the threshold voltage distributioncurve 401 and the threshold voltage distribution curve 411 are locatedat another threshold voltage axis of the same. Referring to FIG. 5 andFIG. 6, the reference detecting values ref1˜ref4 of FIG. 6 aredetermined according to the planning of the program verify voltagesPV1˜PV4 of FIG. 5. For example, the middle point between the thresholdvoltage B1 and the program verify threshold voltage PV1 is determined tobe ref1. When the high boundary of the distribution curve 401 isdetected to be smaller than B1, the memory group 401 is programmed toPV1, and meanwhile, the reference detecting value ref1 is used as areference for reading data. When the high boundary of the distributioncurve 404 is detected to be between B3 and B4, the memory group 404 isprogrammed to PV4, and meanwhile, the reference detecting value ref4 isused as a reference for reading data. The ref2 and ref3 are obtainedlikewise, and the reference detecting values ref1˜ref4 can be in theform of threshold voltage and current.

The program threshold voltage difference in this embodiment is thethreshold difference between the same thresholds of two curves. Base oneach bit has the same program threshold voltage difference is, forexample in FIG. 6, the difference between a maximum value (highboundary) of the distribution curve 401 and a minimum value (lowboundary) of the distribution curve 411 is the sensing window and usingref1 to be the reference cell threshold voltage level. A minimum value(low boundary) of the distribution curve 401 and the minimum value (lowboundary) of the distribution curve 411 is the program threshold voltagedifference. Therefore, the program threshold voltage difference betweenthe distribution curve 401 and the distribution curve 411 is DVt41, theprogram threshold voltage difference between the distribution curve 404and the distribution curve 414 is DVt44, and the sensing window of thedistribution curve 401 and the distribution curve 411 is SW41, thesensing window of the distribution curve 404 and the distribution curve414 is SW44 and using ref4 to be the reference cell threshold voltagelevel. The relationship between the sensing window SW41, the programthreshold voltage difference DVt41 and the distribution value D4 is(DVt41−SW41)=D4. In the present invention, as the memory unit is dividedinto a plurality of small memory groups, the distribution value isreduced, such that the sensing window is increased and the programthreshold voltage difference between states is reduced.

FIG. 7 is a threshold voltage distribution diagram of a method for datastorage of a flash memory unit according to another embodiment of thepresent invention. The horizontal axis represents threshold voltage, andthe longitudinal axis represents the number of bits. In order to reducethe distribution value and improve the programming speed, the thresholdvoltage distribution curve 40 is programmed to a narrowed thresholddistribution curve 70, and the reference detection point ref is taken asa reading reference. However, the programming of the thresholddistribution curve becomes more difficult with the increase of thenarrowing degree. In the present invention, the narrowed thresholdvoltage distribution curve 70 can be divided into threshold voltagedistribution curves 701˜704, such that the original distribution valueD8 is divided into smaller distribution values D9. As the distributionvalue D3 is significantly different from the distribution value D8, thenarrowing process becomes very difficult. However, after the division,as the distribution value D4 is close to the distribution value D9, thenarrowing process becomes much easier. When the same sensing windows areto be created, the present invention has a smaller program thresholdvoltage difference. Thus, the cycling margin is improved and two bitseffects are achieved.

FIG. 8 is a threshold voltage distribution diagram of a method for datastorage of a flash memory unit according to still another embodiment ofthe present invention. The horizontal axis represents the thresholdvoltage, and the longitudinal axis represents the number of bits. Toillustrate the operating method of the present invention in the MLC, thethreshold voltage distribution curves 80˜83 represent four differentdata storage states respectively, for example, logic levels “11”, “01”,“00”, “10”, and the threshold voltage distribution curves 81˜83 arecorresponding to the narrowed threshold voltage distribution curves. Asmultiple logic levels are required to be processed, the programthreshold voltage difference DVt8 between different states is increased,while the sensing window SW8 is reduced. In the first design, after thememory unit is divided, the threshold voltage distribution curves 803,813, 823, 833 have a lower program threshold voltage difference DVt9between states under the same sensing window SW8. In the second design,after the memory unit is divided, under the same threshold voltagedifference DVt8, the threshold voltage distribution curves 804, 814,824, 834 have a larger sensing window SW9. Those skilled in the artshould understand that the MLC of the present invention is not limitedto four states, and the logic levels and data storage states can beincreased optionally.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of a method for data storage of a flash memoryunit according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, in StepS901, a memory unit is divided into a plurality of small memory groups;next, in Step S902, a plurality of threshold voltage distributionregions for each small memory group is defined; then, in Step S903, aplurality of program verify levels and a plurality of reference sensinglevels are defined according to the boundaries of the threshold voltagedistribution region of each of the small memory groups; For example, theplurality of program verify levels may be a plurality of program verifyvoltages threshold and the plurality of reference sensing levels may bethe plurality of reference threshold voltage reference. after that, inStep S904, a plurality of small memory groups is detected; then in StepS905, the distribution information of the small memory groups is savedin an extra memory; The distribution information records the pluralityof threshold voltage distribution regions. Those skilled in the artshould understand that the distribution information is not limited to besaved in an extra memory, may include any memory which can thedistribution data, such as a buffer memory. then in Step S906, accordingto the information, one small memory group is decided by using itsprogram verify level and reference sensing level, and then in step S907,the data of the small memory group is programmed.

In view of the above, in the method for data storage of a memory unitaccording to the present invention, the memory unit is divided into aplurality of small memory groups, thus reducing the distribution valueof the threshold voltage region, increasing the sensing window andreducing the program threshold voltage, such that the cycling margin ofthe memory is improved, the service life of the memory is prolonged, andthe present invention is suitable to be applied to the operating windowof an MLC.

Though the present invention has been disclosed above by the preferredembodiments, they are not intended to limit the invention. Anybodyskilled in the art can make some modifications and variations withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, theprotecting range of the invention falls in the appended claims.

1. A method for data storage of a memory unit, comprising: dividing amemory unit into a plurality of small memory groups; defining aplurality of threshold voltage distribution regions for the small memorygroups, wherein each of the small memory groups has at least one of thethreshold voltage distribution regions; defining a plurality of programverify threshold voltages and a plurality of reference detecting valuesfor each of the small memory groups according to the threshold voltagedistribution regions of each of the small memory groups; and using thesmall memory groups to store data.
 2. The method for data storage of amemory unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory unit is a twolevels memory.
 3. The method for data storage of a memory unit asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the memory unit is a MLC (multi-level-cell)memory.
 4. The method for data storage of a memory unit as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising saving small memory groups distributioninformation into an extra memory, wherein the small memory groupsdistribution information records the plurality of threshold voltagedistribution regions.
 5. The method for data storage of a memory unit asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising saving small memory groupsdistribution information into a buffer memory, wherein the small memorygroups distribution information records the plurality of thresholdvoltage distribution regions.
 6. The method for data storage of a memoryunit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising defining the programthreshold voltages and the reference detecting values for each of thesmall memory groups according to each high boundary of each of thethreshold voltage distribution regions of the small memory groups. 7.The method for data storage of a memory unit as claimed in claim 1,further comprising defining the program verify threshold voltages andthe reference detecting values of each of the small memory groupsaccording to each low boundary of each of the threshold voltagedistribution regions of the small memory groups.
 8. The method for datastorage of a memory unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprisingdefining the program verify threshold voltages and the referencedetecting values of each of the small memory groups according to eachmaximum value of each of the threshold voltage distribution regions ofthe small memory groups.
 9. The method for data storage of a memory unitas claimed in claim 1, wherein the reference detecting values of each ofthe small memory groups are a plurality of reference threshold voltagevalues.
 10. The method for data storage of a memory unit as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the reference detecting values of each of the smallmemory groups are a plurality of reference current values.
 11. Themethod for data storage of a memory unit as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe memory unit is a flash memory.
 12. The method for data storage of amemory unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory unit is anerasable programmable read only memory (EPROM).
 13. The method for datastorage of a memory unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory unitis an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM). 14.The method for data storage of a memory unit as claimed in claim 1,further comprising using a plurality of distribution values to determinethe plurality of threshold voltage distribution regions respectively,wherein each of the distribution values is equal to each of a pluralityof first differences between the program threshold voltages minus eachof a plurality of sensing windows.
 15. The method for data storage of amemory unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the firstdifferences between each of the program threshold voltages is reduced bychanging each of a plurality of second differences between thedistribution values.